Today we’re happy to announce version 3.0 of the HTML5 based vSphere Client Fling. For a long while we’ve been running with 2.x, but now there’s a big enough change that warrants a new version. There are a few big things available now (3 new, one very recent) which are worth highlighting:

OVF deploy (vSphere 6.5 only, basic)

New VM from Content Library

Drag and Drop VM to VM folder (only within Inventory tree, for now)

New Role (new UX)

OVF Deploy

Deploying from an OVF has been a huge request for a while, and we’re shipping a very basic version right now. Key notes:

Only works on vSphere 6.5

Only supports deploy from URL (local file deployment to come later)

Only works from Host -> Action Menu/Right Click

More functionality to come

Host Action -> Deploy OVF Template

This will only work with vSphere 6.5 because of Client Integration Plugin. vSphere Client was built with the plan to avoid both Flash and CIP dependency, and the new APIs only exist in 6.5. This is the same situation that occurs with vCenter 6.5 + 6.0 mixed mode, certain functionality doesn’t work from the 6.5 Web Client going to the 6.0 vCenter. Some more information about some consequences of CIP removal is available in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOklERq6KcM

If you have feedback you’d like to provide about this feature specifically, please put “OVFDEPLOY:” in your comment in the Feedback tool.

New VM from Content Library

The second new feature available in the Fling is creating a new VM from a Content Library template, which works on both 6.0 and 6.5. We’ve also changed the UX for this around a little as well, as you won’t find it in the same place as before. Instead of “New VM -> New VM from Library”, you will now access this during the “New VM” wizard, on the first page “Deploy from template”, and then be able to select a template. In the future, this same view will also allow you to select non-Content Library VM Templates (like those in the “VMs and Templates” tree), with the idea that users should not care where the template resides.

Deploy from template to get to Content Library templates

If you have any feedback about this feature, or other Content Library feedback (additional features you need), please let us know. If you put “CL:” at the front of your Feedback tool submissions that can help us as well.

Drag and Drop VM to VM folder

The very first version of this feature is currently in a very basic state: Drag and drop a VM from the “VMs and Templates” Inventory Tree into a VM folder. Things that currently don’t work: Dragging from a list in the central work space does not work, dragging into a Datacenter (which sort of acts as a folder), nor is there a Right Click -> Move action. All of these items will eventually be put in as well, but we’re looking for your Feedback on which of these you need the most.

Note the “+” for a valid ‘drop’ target

Please send us feedback through the Feedback Tool and include “VMFOLDER:” to help us deliver what you need.

New Role (New UX)

This feature became available last week, but is definitely worth highlighting. From “Home -> Administration -> Access Control/Roles -> Add”, you can see the improved “New Role” dialog. In the transition from Web Client to vSphere Client, we are trying to take the opportunity to make targeted changes to the user experience. This workflow should provide a good demonstration of our goals of improving UX while not changing things too much that they become unfamiliar, a mistake we’ve made in the past. We have additional plans for enhancing this view (Search!), but if you have feedback for us here, please submit with “NEWROLE:” in the Feedback tool.

Fling Feedback

We would like to hear your experience using vSphere Client either via the Fling or the vSphere Client bundled with vSphere 6.5 vCenter. This could be an opportunity for us to discuss with you about the features you would like to see sooner and also about any issues or concerns you have using the vSphere Client. Please fill out the survey below. Note, we recently sent out this same survey to our Fling mailing list, so you may be seeing it twice: